Portable signal system



`B. W. DAVIS.

Patenuuly 13,1920. 5

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

B. W. DAVIS.

PORTABLE SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED mums. 191s.

1,346,531, Patenamyls, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED s-TAr-ss ParENll` voFFIcE.

BENJAMIN W', Devis, or CHIcAGoQfiLiJiNIs.

PontrABLE SIGNAL SYSTEM.'

To all 'whom it may concern: 1-

Be it known that I, BENJAMINW. DAVIS, a citizen of the United- States, residing at Chicago,'in the county ofvGook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Signal Systems,of which the following fis afspecifi- My invention relates in-general lto portable lighting systems, and more particularly' toa vsignal system for use incontrolling trafiic atv street intersections. In large cities where the-traiicis heavy, it is customary to place at'fs'treet 'intersec tions -traiic policemen who controlthe-movement l 'of vehicles in intersecting *directions by `means of f whistles ory 'by' signaling with their arms. -v The use ofv Whistlesl isfr'equently confusing, and must'usually be sup'- plemented by the traiic policeman indicating with his arms the desired movement-of the vehicles.: Semaphores have been' einployed in some cities, and it has been proposed to usesignal lights at traffic intersections. These systems are particularly advantageous where the traffic is so heavy that manual signals"given by a policeman cannot be seenby all of thedrivers of vehicles and by all pedestrians.- In such systems, however, it is necessary that the semaphores and lights should be operated by the -policeman who controls the traflic, 'and it' has therefore' been found more satisfactory Where the traffic is not too heavy for the policeman to control the traiic directly'by the movement of his arms. i

The primary object of my invention is to provide a portable light signal system which may be conveniently attached to one whose duty it is to operate the signal, and which ill, upon raising or lowering of the limbv o the operator, be automatically so controlled as to give the desired signal.

A further object of 4my invention is to provide a signal system comprising electric lights adapted to be attached to the body of the operator, and so arranged that upon the operator lifting his arm to a substantially horizontal position the circuit will be closed to the electric lights, and upon= lowering his arm to a substantially vertical position the circuit to the lights will be broken, thereby rendering it possible for the operator to control the lights so as to give the desired signal by the same movementof his Specification of Letters Patent. Applicationfnea March 2s, 191e. sriai No. 87,132.

closing position.'

lPatented .rely 13, 192e.

arms whichwould indicate the signal were his arms visible. f I A .further object of my invention is to provide afsignall system ffor controlling traiiic at street intersectionswhichwilly be simple inl construction, convenient inuse, and eilicient in' operation.-

` f A further object 'of myfinvention is to provide a lighting'systein'which maybe attached to the lbody of aperson,`and which Will automatically illuminate yand darken predetermined lights upon' lcertain' .move- 'ments of the limbs vof Vthe person.

Still another'object of my invention is to provide a novel form of liquid switch for controlling 'an electric circuit. i

My' invention' Will' bemore fully disclosed hereinafter` With `Areference to the' accompanying drawings in which the same is-.illustrated as embodied in a4 convenient and practical form, and, in which,- y'

Figure 1 is'an elevational View of -a traflic policeman equippedfwith my invention.

' Fig. 2isf-a'sl`i'ghtly modifiedff'orm of 'my invention attached tothe arrnoffa person.

Fig. '3 isa-diagrammatic view of'theielectric circuit when the arm ofthe person to -which it-is attached-is ina substantiallyvertical position. l

Fig. '4 is asimilar view 'ofthe'electric circuit lwhen the arm of the person t`o which it is attached is in a substantially horizontal position. I

Fig. 5'is an enlarged sectional view of my improved liquidv switch when in circuit- Fig. `6 isa sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig'. 5'. f Fig. 7 is a'vew'similar'toFig. 5, showing the switchfin circuit-breaking position; and f Fig. 18 is 'ailargeperspective 'view of the `means for securing to the limb of the operator the lights, battery, and'switch comprisings* the lsignal circuit. A

imilar reference characters are used to designate similar'parts in the several figures Aof the drawlngs.

to which `the lights A and A2 are connected, and which .are adapted to be secured around the arm ofv the operator in spaced relationto each other. C indicates a battery which is secured to affstiap B,l adapted to be extended around the arm of the operator. D indicates a switch for automatically controlling the circuit'fioimthe battery to the lights, according to the position', of the arm of the operator. Bl indicates a strap to which the circuit closer is attached, and -which may. also 'be secured to the arm of the operator. The several straps B., B2, B, and B4 may be conveniently attached together by. a longitudinal strap-B, which may extend along the back of the arm'of the operator, as shown in Fig. l, or alone the front of the arm, as shown .in Fig. 2. '-lireferably both arms of thecperator are. provided witha signal system such asabovedescribed, inasmuch as in controlling street traffic itis frequently .necessary for the policeman to use both arms.

. Inorder that the position of the tralic policeman may be at all times visible, and hissafety A.thereby promoted, electric lights may if desired be secured to him, as,for

instance, .upon his shoulders, which are .con-

tinually illuminated. E indicates one lof such lights. `Asshown in Fig. 1,-one of saidy lights is .preferably located Pon each shoulder of the policeman,v and lthey --are preferably white. in color.

While .any suitable automatic switch may be used for closing the circuit 4to the lights when thetarin of the policeman is inasubstantially horizontal position, and for breaking the circuit when his armf is in a'substantially vertical position, yet I preferably use .a liquid switch of the construction illustrated in detail in Figs. 5, ,6, and 7 The casing -of 4the 1 switch is' preferably. formed in three sections, and is made of any suitable non-conducting material, such, for instance, as hard rubber, orglass. The central section is preferably cylindricalin form, and is provided with screw threads around the opposite ends thereof, with which engagescrew threads within end Sections D and D2. ,In some instances it may be desirable to make the casing of the switch air-tight, so that a vacuum may be maintained therein, inasmuch as the4 presence of air serves to more rapidly deteriorate .some .conductor-s. Openings surrounded by circular llanges 0l and cl2 extend throughv the ends of the central sec'- tion of the casing, so that the interior. of such central section is placed in connection with the interior of the end sections. f

Inclosed Within the casing is a. liquid which -is a good conductor of electricity, such, for instance, as mercury. The quantity of the liquid is such that when the casing is in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 5 it will be at a level above the'bottom of t-he openings made by the flanges d and d2, While when the casing is in a vertical ,position, as shown in Fig. 7, the liquid will not extend-upwardly through the centralsection into the topsection of the casing. Located in each of the end sections D and D2, adjacent the ends of the central section, are rings H andHz, formed of suitable conducting material, and with which communicate conducting wires forming the circuit which is to be controlled. It Will be observed that the rings H and H2 are at all times incontact with portions of the liquid conductor regardless of the position of the switch, inasmuch as the .flanges d and d2 retain portions of the liquid conductor within the end compartments in-Which are located the said conductor rings. When the casing of theswitch is cylindrical, as shown in :the drawings, it maybe placed in any position-and it will work equally well, thereby avoiding the necessity of locating the casing With a-.certainuportion of itv located in-any predetermined position. 4 v

When they arm of ,the operator is in a substantiallyyertical positiomthe circuit controller -Will .break the circuit :to the. lamps, inasmuch,.as the liquid in the switch does not l.extend continuously from onev of .the rings. H to therother ring H2. When, however, theiarm ofthe operator is 'lifted-to substantially horizontal position the liquid will electrically connect both ofthe rings, and thereby closeA the circuit to lthe lamps. It will-be seenthat when the switch is moved fromavertical to va horizontal position the circuitis completed through the lower portion-of the; liquid flowinginto contact with the upper portion of the-liquid thereof, and not by means of the mercury connected with one lead flowing into contact with ametal conductor connected with the yother lead of the circuit. When mercury is used .as the liquid circuit closing conductor the injuriouseifect upon it and upon the metal conductors, such as the rings H andH2, due to the circuit being closed by the movement of the mercury into contact with the metal conductors, is avoided, as the circuit is closed by portions of the mercury flowing into contact with eachother and is broken by the mercuryseparating, as indicated in Fig. '7 -of-the drawings.

The safety .lights E upon the shoulders of 115 the operator-are preferably located in,a sep- `arate circuit from the lamps A. and A2, so

a traffic policeman, et it will be understood that it is capable o more general uses, onek being that it may be attached to a person who desires to illuminate or darken lights placed upon his or her body through the movement of the arms or le s.

The location of the two ights in spaced relation upon the arm of the operator serves to indicate the position of the arm by the relative positions of the lights, that is, when the lights are in horizontal alinement the arm of the operator is in a lateral position, and when the lights are in vertical alinement the arm of the operator is in lowered position. It would be practical in some instances to allow the lights to be continually illuminated, as the relation of the two spaced lights would indicate the desired signal.

When my invention is used for controlling street traffic, it will be seen that it enables the traffic policeman to regulate the traffic at night by the same movements of his arms as regulate the traiic in the daytime, when his arms are visible. It will be further evident that by my invention the traffic policeman may move about to more elliciently regulate the trailic, and he does not have to stand at a given point as is the case where stationary signals are provided.

I claim:

1. In a portable signal system, the combination with a battery, of a plurality ofv electric lamps, means for supporting said lamps in spaced relation upon the arm of an operator, an automatic switch secured to the arm of the operator for controlling said circuit upon predetermined movements of the operators arm, another lamp mounted upon the opera-tor, and a normally-closed circuit for said last-mentioned lamp.

2. In a portable signal system, the combination with a source' of electricity, of an electric lamp, a circuit therefor, means for supporting said lamp and circuit upon the arm of an operator, an automatic switch secured to the arm of the operator controlling said circuit upon predetermined movements of the operators arm, another lamp mounted upon the operator, a circuit for said lastnamed lamp, and a switch for controlling said last-mentioned circuit.

3. In an electric signal system, the combination with a source of electricity, of a plurality of electric. lights, a circuit, a

switch, and means for supportingA said plurality of lights in spaced relation upon a limb of an operator so that the movement of said limb to different positions effects through the operation of the switch a different relation between the said lights.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

' BENJAMIN W. DAVIS. 

